Waking up with Strawberries
by Seaweed and Wise
Summary: Percy has just finished High School and he's leaving to go to college in London. During the trip he brings to his memory the journey of his teenage years, with Annabeth. But Annabeth isn't in his life for almost a year and a half now. His stories, to the eleven-year-old, Natalie, will help him realize what he really feels for her and that the time for decisions is here...
1. Chapter 1

It's September, the most sweet month of the year, even if brings back the sadness or the return from the resting face of the summer. The sun, setting, has that soft orange, that prepares you, from the light of the day, to accept the darkness of the night. The airport seems like it's from the set of a science fiction movie. And here I am. Leaving with the flight 317 for London.

I asked from my parents not to come to say goodbye. I didn't want sadness and tears. I'll be back on Christmas anyways. My mother still insists that I didn't try hard enough in the exams. For God's sake! I tried as hard as I could, but the questions were hard. If she told me that I wasn't well prepared, she may be right. But that's in the past now. I won't waist an other year for preparations. This time next year I will be graduating from the first year of the English University.

They told me not to be friends with Greeks, to exercise the language. But it seemed too funny to me to moan to strangers from what I'll be missing from my country! I'm gonna make Greek friends. I have Annabeth's address anyways. Yes, that's what everyone is afraid of, friends and family, that I'm going to England to be with her. That I will meet her and we would live together. But I haven't seen her for one and a half years. From that summer that her parents send her to their cousins, in America. It was this airport that I came to say goodbye to her. I watched her leave in sadness, holding the Teddy Bear I had given her. She exited the bus last and got in line. Her eyes were searching for me. She let people pass. Finally, she started getting up the stairs slowly. When She spotted me, she held up the Teddy Bear and waved at me. I wanted to be alone. To scream, to cry, to run. But I wasn't. Her parents and our friends, but strangers too were there.

That summer I wrote to her every day and once a week I called her. We had gone to family vacation to Halkidiki. I didn't want to hang out with anyone. I read "Ecstasy" by Loudemi and I wrote her the best quotes…

 _Love… last night I only whispered you,_

 _And they told me to sing lower._

I still remember that part… A family friend, that saw me reading to the beach, gave me the "Love at the times of Cholera" by Markes. New letters with quotes of Markes this time. Coming home from Halkidiki, I found lots of letters waiting for me at home. They were her letters, all with quotes from songs of American bands. To Loudemi answered the… Chicago. With time the letters became less and less, and after a few weeks came the last one. In that she wrote that she wouldn't come back at the 30th of August, like it was planed. I lost it! I called a friend and with his bike we went to Kladi, where her parents toke vacation and we had spent so many summers. At the familiar tavern, I found her father treat friends and acquaintances. When he saw me from afar, he got up, came close to me, hugged me and told me:

-It's great luck, Annabeth got accepted to the International High School of London.

"Departure, flight 317 to London" sounds from the speakers "Gate number 9". That's my flight.

There are a lot of people. In front of me, a chubby lady with a huge orange hat. Annabeth had returned looking kinda like that. I hadn't gone to the airport, of course. I was mad at her. I couldn't stand the idea that she would spend a hole year to that International High School. But of course, the point was for her to finish her studies abroad. Well, let her finish them alone! I couldn't stand any more letters. Besides what good would letters do? I imagined her among blond Englishmen and brunette Spaniards, rich Arabs and charming Indians. And me? Just with the letters, and some times a phone call here and there, what chances did I have?

When she was in America we tried to communicate with tapes. A huge failure. But failure with laughter. I had written down the words and I had chosen the best music –the must passionate. I had put all my charm in my voice. At one part I remember saying: "My love, away from you the sun becomes a cloud and the day became night. I'm gonna explode if you don't come back soon!... I hope you're not saying: Explode so we can hear what sound you'll make!"

I send the tape as an express and registered letter. Five days later, at 3am, the phone rings. I run there before anyone else wakes up.

As soon as I pike it up, I hear laughter. It was Annabeth.

-Why are you laughing? I ask

-Thank you for the tape, but um it's very funny!

-Funny?

-Especially when you said you're going to explode, I told my cousin, Emma, that we were listening together "Explode so we can hear what sound you'll make", and a second later you answer me over the tape "I hope you're not saying "Explode so we can hear what sound you'll make".

-That was the only thing that touched you?

-My cousin, Magnus, wants to play it to the local greek radiostation.

-My tape on the radio?! No.

-Come one, don't get mad, he wants to show the Americans what Greek Lover means!

-Why don't I sell it? I will make more money.

We hang up mad at each other. I was so angry I couldn't go back to sleep. Rachel, my best friend, came the next morning, I told her what happened and she suggested listening to it. Thankfully I had kept a copy, pretty surprising of me. No wonder Annabeth calls me Seaweed Brain. We laughed till our tummies hurt. "The sun becomes a cloud" with French music playing in the background!...

Annabeth was right. I grabbed the phone and called her. It was a couple of hours after midnight for her but I didn't care. Her uncle picked up. I asked her as nicely as I could. A few seconds later I heard her sleepy voice.

-What do you want?

-You were right. It was kinda funny. Tell Magnus to play it in a comedy or something.

-I'm sorry for earlier. It was really sweet what you did? And me, the hideous, to listen to it with Emma and to laugh! To make it up to you, I'll send tree letters today.

-No, you should send a tape too!

\- No way, Seaweed Brain! You're capable of playing it everywhere.

-Do you forgive me, Wise Girl?

-Do you?

And just like that we were back to the letters and the phone calls. Until that last letter. I never wrote to her after that. When I found out about the International High School, I decided… I'm done! I've had enough!

In the middle of October I found out from Rachel that she would be coming back for a couple of days. She had moved permanently now to London, and she had to get the rest of her staff. She said that if I wanted to go to the airport she wouldn't tell her parents.

-No, I'm not going anywhere. Instead, I'm gonna leave the city. I don't want to see her!

Finally, Rachel went and welcomed her. She told me that she spotted her immediately when she got down from the plain. She wore a hat huge and orange. Before she even left for America she threatened me that she would come back with a hat, huge and orange. Like the lady standing in front of me. Where is she, really?

-Your luggage in the machine please, sir. The security guard told me.

I was in my bubble again. The lady had moved, and I'm standing in front of the luggage check point. Another orange hat I lost in my life.


	2. Chapter 2

Gate 9 still hasn't opened. People are waiting, there are no empty seats. I'm going to the bar. Usually before every trip I'm nervous, but in this one had a weird calm had come over me. I order pancakes, of course they're not blue like my mom's but what can you do, and chocolate milk. Our favorite –bad for the stomach, as Annabeth's dad would say- breakfast.

That's how I met her. Eating pancakes.

It was the end of August when she first showed up at Kladi. Kladi is a beachfront village with beach houses all over. I would go there every day, forty five minutes with the bus from my house. I met all the kids there. We were swimming, and playing basketball at the nearby court all day, then we would gather at the houses of kids how lived there permanently, and we would organize some pranks. I stayed there all day, sometimes till late at night. I would change clothes at a friend's house, and we would go out all the kids together. Meeting point - the pizza place, right across from the cinema. I still don't know if the pizza there was that good or if it seemed that way to me. Always before I leave I would eat a few slices. I would go back home exhausted, usually toke the ten o'clock bus ride.

Not that I never stayed longer than that, but in those occasions I knew the trouble I would get into at home.

On Sundays I would go to Kladi with my mom, Sally my step-dad, Paul.

That's the way it was that Sunday, at the end of August, we went together. I was playing basketball, like every morning. I was red with anger because my team was losing. I went to the tavern my parents were sitting, that's when I saw them, from afar. Talking to a couple unknown to me. I paid no attention to them, went and ordered blue pancakes and chocolate milk.

The owner was a family friend and he put blue food on the menu knowing the story of my mother's first unfortunate marriage with "Smelly Gabe". That's how a called him, he insisted that there is no such thing as blue food and my mom as an act of rebellion proved him wrong. The marriage didn't last long after that but the blue food stayed. I was 5 at the time, I think. I don't remember most of that time.

While I was eating my pancakes a tall girl was standing next to me with long curly blonde hair like a princess's and gray analyzing eyes.

She was staring at me and talked to me first:

-These pancakes look nice… and blue.

It was a fact that I had devoured about half the plate. With a mouthful and embarrassed I answered:

-Do you want some?

-I can't, they are blue.

-So what? You can't eat blue food?

-No, it's blue.

She said that still staring and my half eaten plate. Then I explained why it's blue but she still didn't want any.

-Do you want some milk then?

-Do they have chocolate milk?

-Of course!

I ordered her one.

-Thank you… Really, what's your name?

-Percy.

-Thanks, Perc.

I hate it when they say half my name.

-Percy. I corrected getting angry.

-What's the difference?

-I hate it when others say it half my name.

-And where does your name come from? You're grandfather?

-No, it's a long story. You see, my mom…

-I see you met each other, my mom interrupted. Well, Percy this is Annabeth, she is the daughter of a friend of mine from college.

The couple my mom was talking to turned out to be her father and mother. They were old friend but lost touch when her dad went to California for work. Annabeth was born and went to school there but now they were back. They are living in the city and came to Kladi for a road trip.

-We were really close with your dad, honey, before you guys were born. My mom kept talking and turning to me she said:

-I hope you take Annabeth with you and play.

-Perc already bought me chocolate milk. She said and cracked the first smile.

Her eyes were laughing too. I'm sure she said my mane wrong on purpose. She was starting to know how much it annoyed me.

-First of all it's Percy, and second I have a basketball game to finish!

I left running. I was sure that my mother would be mad at me. I hope at some point she figured out that it was a defense mechanism.

-Don't worry, Annabeth told her, I'll grab a chair and go watch the rest of the game.

And that's what she did. I played the worst basketball ever. My friends watching, started yelling my nickname from basketball "Tiger". And I saw a sarcastic smile play on her lips. No matter how much I tried it was impossible to concentrate, that what ADHD will do to a person.

Of course my team lost. Angry, I dove to the sea without talking to anyone. The sea was always my calming point. When I went back to the tavern everyone was there. My parents, her parents and her.

-Percy, nice to meet you, her mother said, let us about your school.

-What do you want to know, I asked getting closer.

-If it's good.

-Nah, they keep pushing us to study a lot, they give us too much homework, and we're not going to a lot of field trips.

-All that isn't too bad, her mother said winking at my mom.

They planed everything. The next day they went to Goode High together and enrolled Annabeth. While we hadn't said a word to each other on the table, they told me they she asked to be in the same classes as me. They lied as I found out later, they had planed that too. But soon they were going to regret it.

-Would you like an other plate of pancakes, the lady at the bar asked.

"Do they have blue pancakes and chocolate milk in England?" I thought to myself.

-I think your flight is delayed, she continued, can I bring you one more?

-Thanks but I can't, it's blue.

I left laughing. She didn't understand what I said. Only I did. She was staring at me questioningly for a while.


	3. Chapter 3

After a lot of searching I finally found an empty chair across from Gate 9. It's sure now that our flight is delayed even though they haven't announced it yet. Next to me sits a little girl around 11 years old… She is reading a young adult magazine and listening to music. That's how Annabeth had showed up at school too. On the first day, all the guys in the group had gathered to the basketball court and we were talking about our summer activities.

When the bell rang we went to class. That's when I saw her. I had forgotten that she would be coming to my school. She was wearing jeans and an orange T-shirt that read CAMP HALF-BLOOD. Her earphones around her neck. She was holding a magazine and a pen. When our eyes met, she smiled at me. Upset, I sat with Leo. Everybody looked at me strangely. He was a good friend but everybody knew that I didn't want to sit with him because he didn't let me pay attention to class. It was bad enough with the dyslexia and the ADHD.

She sat with the smallest girl in class, Hazel was her name. First period we had English. The teacher said the usual talk of the first day. That summer is over, and now that school started we needed to focus on homework and hard work.

While the teacher was talking, Leo asked:

-Percy, did you see the new girl?

-Stop it, I'm trying to pay attention, I said.

-Tell me, did you see her?

-Yes!

-Finally, a cute girl in our class.

-Yeah, right.

-Why yeah, right? Because she's cute or because I think she's the only one?

-Both.

-It's better that you don't like her. Leave her for the rest of us. She has style, see? She must have gone to vacation abroad. I'll talk to her at lunch.

I was getting angry now. How long would I be able to hide that I know her?...

The English teacher started asking the ususal…

-What's your name? She asked Annabeth.

-We will learn her name now. Leo told me.

-Annabeth.

-Where does that name come from? He wondered.

-It must be ancient, I whispered to him.

-That's a beautiful name. Where did you spend your summer, Annabeth? The teacher kept interrogating.

-Abroad.

-Didn't I tell you? My classmate commented excitedly.

-Where exactly?

-California, my dad works there.

-She's from there? He asked again.

-And did you go to the beaches here in Greece?

-0f curse, we went to Kladi.

-Didn't you say you went there for vacation? Leo asked me.

-So? Should I know her?

-I met Percy there, and his parents recommended us this school, Annabeth continued.

"What a joy! She said my name right." I thought.

-Liar! So you don't know her, eh? You keep the cute ones to yourself! Leo complained.

-Why are interrupting the class? The teacher asked us.

And she looked at me with the familiar smile now.

At lunch Leo had gathered all our friends and was telling them about me and Annabeth. Why did she need to say that she knew me? I was wondered what the others were thinking, when she came towards me.

I didn't know why her presence upset me. At first I wanted to yell at her, but instead of yelling a soft "Hey" came out of my mouth.

-I didn't see you this morning and I thought you changed schools.

-Nah, I was just with my friends.

-What was the guy sitting next to you kept talked to you about?

-He asked what Annabeth means.

-And what did you tell him?

-That it's ancient. Isn't it?

-It is. It means the grace of the house of God. Because my real mom's name is Athena like, the Greek Goddess.

-And how did your dad choose it?

-Because when my mom left, my dad said I was a gift from her even though she left. How did your mom choose your name?

-Didn't I tell you?

-No, your mom interrupted us.

-Well my dad's name was Poseidon, like the Greek God, and when he was lost at sea my mom wanted something close to the Greek mythology, so I could have that connection with him but she also wanted to mane me after a hero that had a happy ending so she chose Perseus, therefore Percy.

-We have unusual manes, right? Haha

That we have. The first plural that came out of her lips, it was music to my ears that was soon interrupted by Leo.

-Why don't you introduce us Annabeth, Percy?

"Olympic Airlines would like to announce that the flight 317 for London will be delayed for an hour."

My thoughts stopped. The little girl next to me takes of her earphones and asks me.

-What did he say?

-He lied to us.

-Why?

-He said one hour delay, and we're already waiting an hour and a half.

-I'll just listen to my music. And she put the earphones back on.

Annabeth had said exactly the same thing when I tried to introduce her to the rest of the group. She gut angry then because I agreed to do what Leo told me. As if she wouldn't meet her classmates. She said that I should have protected our… relationship, to keep it to myself, even to tell him of, but not to do what he asked, as she explained to me later. That was the moment she realized that I wasn't her hero, and she changed her behavior towards me. These women are curious creatures from an early age.

The little girl is moving to the music in her ears. She sometimes bumps her elbow with mine accidently. Who knows how many boys she's torturing!...


	4. Chapter 4

It was dark now for good, it's past nine o'clock. A friend of mine says that every person has his own time of the day. Mine as sure as hell isn't when it's dark. Even though I'm optimistic all day, when night comes a melancholy takes over me and I see everything with their bad side. Also, there are all these coincidences today that make me upset. First the orange hat, then the little girl, I don't know what to think. It's like I'm stepping in a very well organized prank.

Or maybe it's all in my imagination? It's a fact that the last few days Annabeth has never left my mind. Everything I see reminds me of her. I'm wondering if I'll have the guts to call her after all this time. Will she be there? Will she answer me? Will she want to see me? Will she be alone or will she be in love with someone else? So many questions in my head, the seaweed instead of a brain, she started calling me a long time ago.

I know that in the beginning she got mad at me. She even told Rachel to tell me not to talk to her again. Later, I found out that she asked about me, how I'm doing, if I'm studying, if I'm with someone else, and staff like that. I'm sure though that some of our mutual friends tell her my every move. She won't know that in every girl I meet, I'm looking for her.

When she came back from England, then, with the orange hat, she wanted to see me. I declined. I sold some old drums and left. I left on Friday for a three day vacation on the island even though it was the middle of October. Always prude, she didn't let anyone see that she cared I wasn't there. On Friday night she hang out with our friends.

She talked a lot for her vacation in America and even more so for the International High School. I only talked with Rachel then to find out what she was doing… When she told me Annabeth was going out with Luke on Friday night, I lost it. I didn't like him one bit, but Annabeth insisted that he should be a part of the group. And when she wanted something she always got her way.

At first he wanted Rachel. But she always said that she didn't know even though we told her. And because she didn't want him I said that he shouldn't be a part of the group. Annabeth and Rachel disagreed.

One night even though Rachel told me she would stay inside she went out with him. Of course he wanted to show his "love" in a very unflattering way. When she said no he rode his bike and left. Who was going to pick up Rachel from the beach at 2 am in the night? Percy, of course.

I did it with one condition. That he would stop hanging out with us. Annabeth disagreed but after what happened she couldn't do much about it. Annabeth though, she run into him in a bar by accident. The same accident that made her say my name wrong. So the made planes for a date. Annabeth always knew what made me agree and she used it. I didn't want her to win this fight but I couldn't help myself.

-You idiot, you picked now of all times to go on a date with Annabeth? I said as soon as Luke picked up the phone.

-Percy, is that you? We haven't talked for a while, I thought you lost my number.

-No, I had it but it wasn't the mode to talk to you.

-And what changed your mind now?

-I didn't. I just don't want you hanging out with Annabeth, got it?

-Annabeth and I are just friend and we can go out as much as we like. What do you want anyway? Didn't you leave for vacation? Let us have some fun.

And he was right. I left! I didn't even bother to explain why I left! I was the one that didn't want to see her! But at that moment I decided to go back, first of all to claim my friends!

I called everyone. It was eleven in the morning, if I left with the boat at twelve, I would be home by three o'clock in the aftermoon.

-I'm coming back today with a Brazilian D.J. Girl, that I met last night. We are going out tonight. And I don't want to hear anything about Annabeth. Percy is coming back.

Everyone who got the message was waiting for me with open arms. Not for me but for the Brazilian Girl . The girls suspected something when all the boys from the group had something to do all of a sudden. Rachel, Hazel and Piper marched into my house and of course they found me there.

-So you left yesterday, and you come back today huh? Why didn't you call?

-I just got in guys. Calm down.

-And what are your plans for tonight?

\- I don't know what you're talking about, I'm going out from a friend from the island I don't know if the guys are coming with us.

-So you heard about Luke and came back huh?

-I don't care. She can go out with whomever she wants, as long as I don't see her.

-And we will break the group apart because you guys broke up?

-I broke up with Leo too, but we keep seeing each other for the group, said Hazel.

She had just broken up the most incompatible couple ever. She is now in a relationship with Franck. And Leo was with Calypso now so everyone in the group was happy.

-I'm not that kind of guy. Whoever is hanging out with her isn't my friend.

-You're the one that can't tell her why you want to break up.

-I don't care. My friends are with me! She… can go to the International High School in London.

The girls left upset. They would find out about the Brazilian Girl at some point and they would come too. Their curiosity was too big for them to be just observant. And that's what happened. We met in the bar we always did. Everyone came, like always. The Brazilian Girl though was from Rio… of Achaia. It was the only way I could reach them. Mara saved me.

She was three years older and she was a D.J. at a bar to cover her vacation expenses. She played Latin that's why everyone called her Brazilian Girl. I met her the previous night on the island. She would be going back to Rio tomorrow and she asked me to if she could sleep at my house for one night seeing that she had things to do in town. That's how I got the idea! She was extremely beautiful and really tan.

We went into the bar hand in hand. All my friend's mouths dropped open.

-Guys this is Mara. I told them.

-Γειά σου, Μάρα τι κάνεις? Leo asked her.

(Hello, Mara how are you?)

-I'm fine thank you, my friend!

-But… His mouth dropped open.

-Come one, guys. Joke is over. Mara is from Rio of Achaia. Gatcha!

They were mad at me for about half an hour. They forgave me eventually and we had fun. That's how I won my friends over.

Annabeth went out with Luke for a little while from whom she found out everything. She didn't meet with anyone from the group since then. She left two days later, I found out from my mother who went to the airport to say goodbye.

We head a fight that night. My mother said that I was selfish and all the other flattering staff…

When I was with Annabeth we had the problem of what her father would say and what the people would say. And when we weren't together it was still my fault. For my mother I was always wrong to everything that Annabeth was concerned.

-Does your mom stand up for you or does she say you're wrong? I ask the little girl next to me.

-Huh? What? She pulls the earphones out.

-Does your mom stands up for you?

-Why do you care?

-You see, my mom sided with Annabeth for a while.

-What are you talking about? My mom wants me back in London, but I don't want to go back. I want to stay here a little while longer.

-That's how moms are, they think they know what's best for us.

-Do you thing the flight will be delayed for much longer? We are waiting for two hours already.

\- Probably. Do you want me to buy you some Diet Coke? I asked her.

-Sure, let's go.


	5. Chapter 5

She is drinking the Diet Coke making as much noise as she can with the straw.

-You want everyone's attention, don't you? What's your name?

-What a stupid question!

-Why?

-What does it matter? Like you'll ever see me again.

-Maybe you will. Should I know your name then?

-They ask babies what's their name, because they have nothing else to ask them. You can ask me anything you want. Anyway, not to make you sad my name is Natalie.

-Lost Natalie?

-Lost?

\- I knew once a Lost Natalie (greek song). It wasn't a name really, more like a nickname.

-And why would she pick that nickname?

-There was a song a few years ago that said:

Lost Natalie,

I'll try to find you in some beach, I can't stay away from you.

And if September comes and you've left,

next year with the hot weather I'll find you again.

Annabeth really liked it, and…

-Who's that Annabeth you keep talking about?

-What does it matter? I'll never see you again anyway.

-Come on, tell me, is she your girlfriend? And she smiled for the first time.

-Let's say she was…

-And?

She had just changed school and we had lost touch. I wanted so bad to find out if she liked me. From a mutual friend, Nico, I found out that she put an ad on a girl's magazine that she wanted to exchange latters with other girls her age. A great idea came to me then. I went strait to Piper, to put my idea to work.

-Piper, will you do me a favor, pretty please?

-What do you want?

-I want you to exchange letters with Annabeth.

-With Annabeth?

-Yes! It's the only way I can tell if she likes me.

-But up until last year we were still classmates and we are still friends.

-You will write with her with a nickname. Please. She doesn't know your address. She won't figure out a thing.

I was sure she would take the bait with the right nickname.

-And what nickname do you think we could use?

-It should be so impressive to her that she will pick yours to answer from all the letters she will get.

-What do you have in mind?

-What was you guys favorite song last summer.

-Um… It was "Lost Natalie".

-That's it! Your name will be Natalie and you will ask her to call you "Lost Natalie"!

The plan worked great. The first letter from Annabeth came soon, and it was followed by a second, and a third. Piper was looking everyday through the mailbox of the apartment for a letter for Natalie Jones

And, of course, what do girls write about in their letters? Boys. Not even a month had passed, when Piper got of the school bus waving an envelope with enthusiastic eyes.

-What do we have here?

-It's a letter for Natalie-Lost-Jones.

-What does it say?

-You'll read that on you own.

I grabbed the letter and ran to the locker room. Among other staff she wrote:

"I like this great architect I'm reading about. He's new. He looks like a friend of mine. He is really cute. But I haven't told him though because I don't want his head to get too big. Seaweed Brain. My teachers say that my architect project get better every day and I think it's because of him. No one can take away the way I feel. I don't see him as much as I used to lately. But I have a surprise for him this summer."

It was the best thing that I've read. I was sure now! She liked me, I was grinning like an idiot. I was happy! But I was wondering what that summer surprise was. I asked Piper to find out more in the next letter but no other letter came from Annabeth. Like so many other staff in her life she grew bored of letters.

Natalie listened carefully.

-And your trick was never discovered? She asked.

-No, and I hope it never will.

-I too like someone, his name is George.

-How old are you?

-Eleven.

-I met her when we were eleven.

-How old are you now?

-Eighteen

-It's nice to be older.

-Nah, you have more fun when you're younger.

-Was she your girlfriend from eleven years old?

-No. The fist year she came to school, she got mad at me for some reason and she was completely cold towards me. I thought that it wouldn't last long, because I was the only one she knew at school. But she adapted quickly and she got into m group of friends. I did everything to get her attention! Nothing. The only way was for us to sit together in class. Every month we draw manes from a bowl and we wound sit with whoever's name we draw. I was praying luck would be in my favor. Nothing though. The first month I sat with Halez and the second with Jason. So I decided to take luck in my own hands. At lunch I stole her name the bowl and I hid it in my sleeve.

When the teacher called my name, I got up, put my hand on the bowl and gave him the name I supposedly draw.

"Good, you will sit with Annabeth this month!"

I had triumph written all over my face. A lot of people laughed knowingly . She packed her book with a completely blank expression, came to our desk. If she didn't like it she didn't show it but the rules are rules, she couldn't do anything about it.

"Please do not pass the limit of your side of the desk" she said and drew a line in the middle of the desk.

When I spread my things to her side she would complain. But in a test…

-Perc, she whispered.

-There is no one named Perc in this deck.

-Oh, come on

-If you want something say my name right.

-Percy!

-What do you want?

-I need your eraser real quick!

-I can't give it to you.

-Why?

-My things can't go into your side.

-I'll make an exception.

-No, we will erase the line for good.

-You're a jerk!

-If you don't want to then smudge over the mistake I do it all the time.

-Fine, now give it to me.

-Hey, why are two talking back there? The teacher yelled.

\- Sorry sir. She just asked for my eraser. I said and it gave.

At lunch that day, with the same eraser we erased the line. Not that it changed things. But I had more freedom. We talked every now and then. When the teacher gave us the test and she saw the A with no smudges on the test she smiled.

-Thank you, Percy.

-For what?

-For helping me a little.

-Do you want to sit together next month too?

-How can that be?

-See I have a magic power, that when I want something a lot it comes true.

-That's not funny.

-Do you want to?

-Sure.

-Let the rest to my "magical power".

And that's what happened. The next month I "draw" her mane the same way. The others broke in laughter and applause. She was looking at me shocked.

-How did you do that?

-I told you!

-I don't believe in magic, you know…

-It's an old Indian trick. I can't tell you, except in the night of a full moon at the beach.

When the bell rang the teacher asked me to stay and have a word with him.

-You didn't think that I wouldn't figure out your trick, right Rercy?

-What trick, Mr. Bruner? I played all innocent.

-You know exactly what I'm talking about.

-Yes, sir. I'm sorry. Do I have detention then?

-No but only because you're quiet.

-Will you tell Annabeth?

-Not if you don't do it again.

-Yes, sir.

-But tell me something. Why do you want to sit with her?

-I want her to be my girlfriend.

He laughed and left.

-Nice teacher. Natalie said sarcastically.

I would have given you detention. And Annabeth, to not find out what you did.

-Oh, she did and started calling me Seaweed Brain and I starting calling her Wise girl. And the teacher is the best ever. Do you sit next to George at school?

-We're not classmates. He is staying here and I'm going to an all-girls boarding school.

-Why that school?

-We are staying in London, and my mom says that the best schools there are the all-girls schools.

-And every summer you come to Greece? Like this year?

-Yeah, I live with my grandmother.

-Cool, then you see him every summer.

-Well, not cool. But what can I do?

The time passed and I was thinking that the little girl would be hungry, and our flight had a problem most likely.

-I'll tell you more stories if we go to the restaurant for something to eat, deal?

-How can I resist to your old Indian tricks?

When you want something a lot it comes true, right?


End file.
